I'd Sell My Soul

Chapter 12: It was the 2000's

Katie Aberdeen's POV

JULY 3 2009

I laid down on Ali's bed and hung my head over the edge so my hair drooped down her right shoulder. She laughed at me lightly and continued circling alphabetically labeled answers on the quiz from the latest teen vogue issue.

"Okay so this says my crush does know I like him and I should go for it." Ali concludes closing the magazine. She starts braiding a fishtail in my hair as the purple bedroom door opens to reveal her Aunt Carla.

"Hey girls, how's it going?" Carla asks, she's ringing her hands in a dishrag in her grasp.

"It's hot and I'm bored." Ali huffs, not taking her eyes off her fingers deep in the braiding process.

"Well I'm leaving to take Farrah to her doctor's appointment. Why don't I drop you two off downtown?" Carla suggests putting her hands on her hips.

"That sounds fun! Let's go get milkshakes at the diner." I suggest to Ali.

"Sure." She releases my hair.

"Okay, be ready in ten please." Carla nods before disappearing from the door frame.

"So Farrah is giving birth in like...two months?" I ask Ali as she stands and wanders over to her closet. She puts on a flouncy white summer dress and delicately runs a brush through her blonde hair. I pick through her closet as she sits at her white whicker vanity toying with her hair. I had on a pair of denim shorts and a plain pink striped shirt from Walmart. Ali always had better clothes than me. I picked out an off the shoulder blouse and exchanged that with my pink shirt. I spun around looking at my reflection in the mirror on her vanity as Ali looked up and smiled at me.

"That top looks so beautiful on you." She beams at me before applying a coat of candy lipgloss. She turns around in the chair and hands me the tube, I reciprocate. We venture out of her room and into the living room where Carla is waiting with her purse on her shoulder.

"You girls look cute." She says, suspiciously.

"Aunt Carla, we have to always look our best. Especially since I'm literally in the parade tomorrow." Ali reminds her.

"Oh well geez, my bad." Carla sarcastically puts her hands up in defense. Farrah wanders out to us eventually wearing a long summer dress, a clear attempt to conceal her swollen belly.

"I'm ready. Gosh it's to hot." Farrah fans herself. Ali snorts.

"See I'm never getting pregnant. It's miserable." Ali shakes her head.

"Allison...just get in the car." Carla sighs. Carla holds the sour for us and we file out to her old Ford station wagon. The car ride into town was silent. This has been tense in the family since Farrah announced her pregnancy. Their Aunt Carla was furious. Ali explained it once saying she felt bad because their aunt signed up to only care for the two of them after their mother got sentenced to prison. Ali said Farrah felt guilty for adding to Carla's stress and had briefly considered running away. I'm glad Farrah decided against it. Farrah had always been an older sister to me too. She did my makeup and hair for the last few school dances. She drove Ali and I home from school. She took us through drive throughs when we were itching for French fries. She's a good sister.

Carla Parker in front of town square with the grassy null and the huge fountain. We thanked her for the ride and promised we'd find our own ways home. The town was crowded with people setting up for the huge Fourth of July parade. As part of the cheer squad, Ali was to be featured in the parade, as she had reminded us all numerous times. She told me exactly how she was going to curl her hair and do her makeup for the ordeal. Me, I couldn't care less. I was on the softball team and definitely didn't have the grace or pep to be a cheerleader. Ali joined the cheer team because Farrah was on it. I never had any interest.

"Hey do you think Jenny is at the diner? Isn't she waiting tables there?" Ali brings me back to reality. We're sitting at the gazebo in the center of town.

"I think so. Let's go." I shrug. I follow Ali off to the diner across the street. The door chime rings as we walk in. That's when Ali spots Levi Colt putting dishes from a dirty table into a busser bin. He looks up at her and nearly drops the bin, the dishes shift with a large clatter sound. Ali chuckles.

"Clumsy." She snickers. He smiles at her.

"Hey Ali." He nods.

"Are you going to the parade tomorrow? I'm in it." She leans on a nearby leather red booth.

"Yeah I think we're going. I'll have to check." He shrugs putting the dish bin on his hip.

"Okay...how's classes going?" She asks, driving the conversation forward. Levi is taking classes at the local community college. No one knows why he didn't do away to school, he had the grades for it.

"Good. I'll be done with my bachelors this coming summer." He nods proudly.

"Honestly more guys from this town should follow your example. I'm proud of you." She adjusts her hair, her charm bracelets clinking.

"Thanks. Do you guys want a booth." He gestures to the one next to Ali.

"Yes please." I ignore their awkward flirting and take a seat in the booth.

"I'll be back with menus, just gimme a minute." He says to me before sauntering off.

"Thanks for ruining the moment." Ali rolls her eyes at me as she takes a seat across from me.

"Who him? Honestly Ali I know you guys hooked up in June but I don't think he's that into you." I shrug.

"Hmm I dunno what you're talking about." She shrugs casually.

"I always thought Levi was more of Farrah's friend than yours." I say.

"He's Farrah's friend but he likes me." She explains. Levi returns with menus.

"Thanks Levi." I respond. He nods and continues to the back of the diner. Ali gives him one last glance before sighing. We shared some French fries before walking down to the corner store. We bought red, white and blue popsicles before sitting on the grassy lawn near the fountain, blue dripping down our hands.

"No matter where we end up next fall, I know we'll always be best friends." Ali says looking off past me.

"Did you decide what schools you're going to apply to?" I ask.

"Yeah...my heart is really set on U-dub though." She shrugs and puts her popsicle back in her mouth.

"Mom told me she doesn't think they have enough to send me to school." I confess.

"Okay but don't worry, I'll only be five hours away! And I'll come home every holiday and summer." Ali puts an arm around me and pulls me into a hug.

This wasn't true though. Yes Allison got into the University of Washington and yes she did come back every holiday and summer at first. But then it turned into only spring break and Christmas and Thanksgiving. Then it eventually became just Christmas. I started working at Dawson's a couple years after we graduated high school and moved on but I always remember summer 2009 as one for the books.